What first...MSF or Practice?

[The Duke]

I've purchased a Boulevard C50 few days ago, and I have an MSF course planned for this coming weekend. I also obtained my learners permit (laughingly easy). I've never ridden a motorcycle before (scooters only). Anything magical about waiting until after the class, or do you folks see anything out of order with a little "up and down the block" practice?

Duke (proud new owner of "BlingMaster(tm) 3000")

[SDSUsnowboards]

Take the class first. They start you slowly and you will learn everything from mounting the bike the getting it going in first gear the proper way. This will prevent you from developing bad habits early on. For the first half hour you wont even get on a bike, they have you walk it.

I suspsect the next couple of posts will agree.

[LayinLo]

Take her up and down the block...ONCE. Then go pay attention in MSF class. Good luck. Enjoy that bike!

yes, take it to canada to mexico, then fly it over to france, play with rossi, then come back THEN take your msf. no, really.

im going to take my bike and ride it around the block a few times, that way, you dont look like a complete and total *n00b* to the instructors.

[Louis]

Don't listen to soad. Take the MSF first. Before even riding your brand new boulevard. Wouldn't you be sad in CASE something might happen?

Good luck.

[tlwisner]

I'd suggest doing your first riding on a smaller bike. Since you don't have one, use the one provided by those nice MSF folks. You don't even have to fix it if you dump it. A C50 is a bit more of a handful than the 125s and 250s you'll find in class. Riding scooters is a lot more experience than most of my MSF classmates had - you'll need to get the hang of shifting. The C50's heel-toe shifter rocks! (hahahaha, pun...)

Put a crash bar on that C50 and I hope you never scratch the chrome!

[Nexus242]

Riding your C50 won't do you much good for MSF. You'd be better off going out on a moutain bike for what a 125cc or 250cc will feel like compared to your C50.

You will see at least 1/3 women in your MSF class
You will see people with years of riding street or dirt there to refresh themselves
You will see people that have never touched a motorcycle before
and you will see people that really should rethink motorcycle riding as a hobby and in the instructors eyes it means nothing, your all equal. They will teach you and you will learn from them.

About the only thing I'd suggest is after your first riding lesson take some spins around a parking lot and pratice what you did in class or mentally keep going thru what you did during class in your mind. It's quite amazing how much your can retain and how your body just does "things" while on the bike that second session that you never have done before.

Lastly pick up the November issue of MOTORCYCLIST on the newstands now and read "Sophie Learns to Ride", page 12. It's quite realistic for a MSF class except for that $90 fee!! Hell I paid $260 for my class!!!

Cheers!

[Uncle Bob]

I prefer people don't ride before their class. Why pick up bad habits you'll only have to change when taking the course ?.

[themeatmanlandry]

I'm with Uncle Bob on this one.

I speak from experience. Don't beat up your bike trying to execute low-speed maneuvers. Be patient. Take the class, then learn to ride.

You'll thanks yourself if you do, and probably kick yourself if you don't.

MSF first.

[SuzukiGirl1]

Agree w/ Uncle Bob...

Soad...who cares if you look like a "noob" to the instructors...that's why they are there...that's why everyone else is taking the class. I suppose you studied the whole first level of Spanish before getting into your Spanish class in school so that the teacher doesn't go "Oh, my...what a noob!"

Take the class first. You'll be much less likely to drop your bike when you DO actually get on it. I dropped mine the first day because I had no idea what I was doing.

You only have to wait a week...you can do it!!

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by soad

im going to take my bike and ride it around the block a few times, that way, you dont look like a complete and total *n00b* to the instructors.

<Sarcasm>Gee...was that sarcasm?</Sarcasm>

It's not about wanting to look like a noob...I AM a noob to cycles, for crikey sakes! It's probably just "cycle fever"...I wanna get on with riding...NOW!
I though that someone might say something about developing bad habits by doing that before MSF, so I just came here to ask the question, sort of a "sanity check".

Duke...owner of the (future) BlingMaster(tm) 3000!

[Va bene]

MSF first. They will teach just what to do. Learning from friend/ neighbor/ experimenting just not as good.

BTW, the MSF course in Pennsylvania is FREE for PA residents, paid for out of motorcycle license fees. Makes tons of sense to me.

[The Duke]

Originally Posted by Susan

MSF first. They will teach just what to do. Learning from friend/ neighbor/ experimenting just not as good.

BTW, the MSF course in Pennsylvania is FREE for PA residents, paid for out of motorcycle license fees. Makes tons of sense to me.

To me as well. As for me, it's $198.00 more of my money going (mostly) to the State (California), no doubt.

Duke, future rider of the BlingMaster(tm) 3000!

[hecky]

By all means take the course first. Now if you happen to know a MSF instructor then maybe some time spent in a parking lot before the course would be helpful. They teach the course as if you never even touched a motorcycle. You will ride smaller bikes and they will supervise everything you do. You will see lots of different kind of ppl at the course. Dirt riders. Experienced riders and lots who have never touched a bike before. Pay attention to the things they tell you and find a parking lot or if your close go practise on the range they used for your class if the school, college or facility is near you.

[tlwisner]

Originally Posted by The Duke

As for me, it's $198.00 more of my money going (mostly) to the State (California), no doubt.

Duke, future rider of the BlingMaster(tm) 3000!

The state is paying more than your $198 for that class, it is subsidized and a very good deal - probably the best $198 a noob, or any rider who has had no training, can spend. I just wish I could think up an equally cool name for my C50! When I think I'm bling-blinging, I am actually clang-clanging.....

When I got back into riding, I bought a Suzuki GZ250 and rode the heck out of it while waiting for my class. I rode a lot when I was younger but was too dumb to keep riding. I read everything I could get my hands on, I practiced a lot, and I aced my "M" endorsement for my drivers license before my MSF class - which I signed up for in April so I could take it in August. The riding section of the class was easy for me, but I still learned a lot and I will take my C50 to the Experienced Rider Course next year.

[Madura]

My bike weighs 540 pounds dry, so it's no small bike. It's also tall, with a higher center of gravity. It also does the quater mile in the 11.3's.

I practiced before my MSF course and came out with a perfect score: 100% written and 0 on the range. I was just damn careful about how I practiced. I drove around the parking lot of the apartment complex. When I got to those little bikes at the MSF course, it was like riding a bicycle.

But don't cry when you drop your new bike. It's going to happen, just don't cry about it. We've all been there.